Charlie's Charge
by Cellophane Flowers
Summary: Charlie is still upset over the abduction of Claire. And when he wanders off into the jungle alone, who knows what-or who- he might find.
1. Default Chapter

**_Chapter One: A Nightmare_**

_Claire... he took her away... she's hurt... he's hurt her!_

"Charlie!" her voice cried.

_Claire?_

"Charlie, wake up, you're having a nightmare!" the voice called.

_Claire!_ _Where are you? Where are you? Where..._

"Charlie!"

Charlie opened his eyes. Kate's perfectly pretty face hovered over him. Not Claire. "Wha–What?" he muttered blearily. Kate looked worried, but gave him a wan smile.

"You were having a nightmare, Charlie. You were tossing and turning a lot. Are you alright?" Kate asked, kneeling beside him. Charlie rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay now. I guess I'm just stressed out or something," he replied, sitting up. Kate nodded.

"I know this thing with Claire has been... difficult for you. But it'll pass. We'll find her, Charlie," Kate reassured him.

"I hope so."

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Where is everybody? Am I the last to wake up this morning?" Charlie asked.

Kate seemed to be preoccupied with staring at the walls of the cave, as though lost in thought, but she replied slowly, "Yes. Everyone's up."

Charlie nodded. "Working?"

"Yeah, I guess," she answered foggily, still staring.

"Do they need my help?"

Kate didn't seem to hear him.

Charlie frowned and tried again. "Kate?"

She blinked furiously and snapped back to reality. "No, Charlie. You just rest. We're hunting today. And getting firewood. You don't have to help."

"Okay, if you're sure..." Charlie's voice trailed off. Kate stood up, as though struck by a sudden sense of undeniable purpose. "See you later," she called, jogging out of the cave and into the dense, green mass that Charlie's muddled, tired mind defined as 'jungle'.

He looked around. He was utterly alone. No one else was left in the caves. Standing up, Charlie rubbed his back, his face screwed up with pain. Aching, he was always aching nowadays. _Probably has something to do with sleeping on hard stone, getting attacked by wild animals, including delusional plane-crash survivors, and maybe even has something to do with the fact that it's like four-hundred-and-eighteen degrees in the shade here._

Sighing, he wondered what he ought to do. If they didn't need his help, then what is there to do on an uncharted, supposedly uninhabited island. _Well_, his internal advisor told him, _you could explore the jungle._

_Sure, he replied to himself, that sounds fine._ Charlie stretched and walked slowly toward the waiting wilderness. His heart beat fiercely, an anxious tattoo within his chest. His breath came in sharp, rapid bursts, as though he were undergoing some kind of asthmatic attack. He ought to know. He'd seen it for himself: Shannon gasping and choking, rocking back and forth, the tears of frustrated panic coursing down her flawless cheeks.

_Yes, quite a bit like an asthma attack, this is. _Except that he wasn't crying or panicking. The jungle waited expectantly, it seemed, like it had been watching and hoping for him to come along for a while. Something was different. He could sense it. Yes, even a former druggie's senses were competent enough to perceive the eerie air that lay thick upon the jungle before Charlie. _An adventure,_ _that's what's waiting there. _He needed an adventure. Something to take his mind off of Claire. Off of the thick, dark burden of worry that lay heavily upon his haggard shoulders.

Charlie disappeared into the trees. As he stepped into the jungle, he felt a sense of walking through an entryway, of entering a new chapter, a new odyssey that lie ahead.

_**Chapter Two: The Jungle Within**_


	2. The Jungle Within

1**_Chapter Two: The Jungle Within_**

Charlie stomped through the dense jungle, swatting at the buzzing mosquitoes and gnats. _Maybe I'll be eaten alive. Not that anyone will miss me. Kate and Jack and all them... they don't want me around. I'm just in the way. _Kate's words echoed in his head:

_You don't have to help._

In Charlie's mind, that was just a softer way of saying, "Charlie, you're useless. Go take a nap." None of them wanted Charlie. The only one who had ever seemed to really appreciate him was Claire. She was the only who didn't automatically push him away, call him 'druggie' and 'useless'.

_Okay, so they never really came out and said those things. But they were thinking them._

Claire was always there to smile for him, to laugh at his sometimes stupid jokes, to comfort him without having to say anything at all. It was so unfair that the one person who had ever really cared about him at all, the only one who tolerated him, was taken away from him.

Charlie's eyes welled up. "Oh God," he wailed aloud. "I can't believe I'm actually crying out here alone in the jungle. 'Rock god'... HA! How pathetic."

He fell to his knees. _Wow... dizzying, this is. _He swatted at imaginary flies and tried to stand back up. Wiping the hot tears out of his eyes, he gave a last, pitiful sniffle and walked on slowly. The jungle seemed to pulse around him, a steady, deep rhythm, like the trees were breathing. The sun overhead was nearly midway through the sky, and the almost-afternoon heat pounded on his head. He felt like his brain was slowly deteriorating under its fierce temperatures.

_Great. Instead of being eaten alive, I'll just melt here in the middle of nowhere._

He shuddered at the disturbing image of a Charlie-puddle spreading languidly over the dried leaves. Charlie imagined his mouth, gaping in surprise, floating in the mucky substance while his eyes spun around and around and around....

_And around... and around... and..._

He fainted.

If anyone had been out there in the middle of the jungle later that afternoon when the sun was sinking into the west, they would have seen a tired-looking young man sprawled over a log, passed out. They would have seen him toss fitfully from side to side, frowning and muttering in turn, murmuring the name over and over again: _Claire!_

"CLAIRE!" Charlie shouted, sitting bolt-upright. His eyes were round and wide with anxiety. "Oh... God... what a headache..."

Shakily he heaved himself to his feet. He gulped. He was always so weak after fainting. And this wasn't the first time, either. Many a time he had gotten overheated or overexcited and dropped to the floor in a senseless heap. It was a habit –or a problem– he tried to keep quiet. It wasn't at all manly to faint, in Charlie's opinion.

_I wonder if anyone's noticed I'm gone yet. Probably not._

Charlie continued on, rubbing the back of his head, where he'd hit it on the log when he fainted. _Oh yeah. A nice bruise that'll be to wake up to tomorrow. If I don't get eaten alive or melt first._

He marched in silence through the trees, the only sounds the rustling of the leaves and the crunch of his footfall. Charlie thought about perhaps singing a song while he walked, just to pass time. But as he started to sing the first few words, a strange and unbidden feeling would come over him. A feeling of sudden fear, like he was doing wrong to break the near-perfect silence of the jungle. There was definitely something sinister about the island. Charlie knew it. He could feel it, the heartbeat of the island pounded in his ears, drowning out the sound of his own increasing heartbeat. The island was alive.

The pounding in his ears grew louder and louder, and Charlie's steps quickened, as did his heartbeat. He felt sweat pooling on the back of his neck. Fear resounded through his body. Something approached.

At first he felt it, he felt that something was coming closer, but then he heard it drawing nearer to where he stood, shaking and fearing. He tried to scream but it was as if his own breath was caught inside his own throat, trapped in his lungs, unable to give him enough wind to cry out. Not even a whisper could he coax from his paled, tightened lips.

And suddenly, something climbed out of the bushes before him. Charlie jumped back in fear. His own scream was muffled— but not from terror. He frowned in wonder.

_**Chapter Three: Little Orphan Alice**_


	3. Little Orphan Alice

1**Author's Note: Thankies for the reviews, guys! I'm so glad that you liked it! And since I never really said it, I'm definitely KJ, CC, MS and SS all the way. (I'm the only person I know who wants Shannon and Sawyer to hook up, but I do!)**

**Disclaimer: Since I am insane and pretty much inexperienced with this site, I have previously failed to put a disclaimer up, so here it is! I do not own LOST or any of the characters. If I did, you'd know it because there'd be a lot more music going on! Go DriveShaft!**

_**Chapter Three: Little Orphan Alice**_

She was very small, and she looked young, hardly a teenager. Her hair hung in scraggly, white-golden locks past her shoulders, framing her pale and fearful face. She gaped at Charlie, her eyes like deep grey orbs, wide and unsure.

Charlie blinked. _Who is this girl?_

"Hello?" Charlie greeted cautiously. The girl stumbled backward as he stepped toward her. She clutched at her ripped and torn clothes, which may have once been a uniform of some sort. Charlie felt great pity for this little waif.

"I promise you, I won't hurt you. I'm Charlie," he said slowly, extending his hand. The girl eyed the waiting hand with mild anxiety, and hesitantly touched it with her own pale, thin hand. Charlie smiled gently.

"That's a good girl. Do you speak English?" he continued, holding her hand as though he were trying to gain entry to her thoughts by touching her. He wanted desperately to help her.

His heart leapt when she nodded and spoke: "I'm Alice." Her voice was soft and meek, like she had been treated rather unjustly before, and she had a light accent that he couldn't place.

"How long have you been here, Alice? Do you know how you got here?" Charlie inquired kindly, sitting her down on a log beside him. She nodded slowly.

"I am not sure of how long I've been on this island, but I do know how I arrived here. As to the reason of _why_ I'm here, however, I do not know either," she explained smoothly. Charlie was surprised at how maturely she spoke, how her sophisticated words blended so eerily with her childlike voice.

"Was it a plane?" Charlie asked her, his heart quickening as he awaited her answer. Had he found another survivor of the crash?

"Yes," Alice said sadly, looking at the ground. Charlie, too, looked down, and realized that Alice was barefoot.

"My plane... its engine failed during the storm, and we crashed into the water. I believe... I believe I'm the only one left alive," she concluded wistfully, pushing a blonde lock behind her ear. Charlie frowned. _What? Our plane didn't crash in the water..._

"Are you here to rescue me?" Alice asked suddenly, her manner bright and hopeful. Charlie was shaken from his thoughts.

"Well, no, Alice. You see, I was on a plane wreck, too. The plane crashed on the beach, though, so it couldn't have been the same plane, but—" He trailed off lamely. Alice's face darkened again.

"Oh."

_This is so strange. Another plane? It can't be! But she isn't lying, no one could act that well. Jack and Kate will want to know about this. It might be important. Hell, it _is_ important._ _I'll tell them about her when I go back._

_But should I take her with me?_

Charlie looked over at the girl beside him. Alice. Though he was a rather religious man who didn't exactly _believe_ in such nonsensical mythical beings, Alice seemed like a sort of fairy to Charlie, a sad and wearied fairy. What with her delicate, obviously weak frame and angelic voice, it seemed plausible that she might be, even to the most pious skeptic. And what if... what if this was all just a hallucination? Kate had been pretty concerned for him back at the caves. Maybe he should never have left.

Alice's eyes blinked. Those round grey oceans. There was no way those eyes could be the work of a hallucination. But perhaps he had better not take her to meet all the others just yet. What if she was frightened away by them all? And besides, you never know, it might be wise for him to bring along someone with him next time he went to see her. It seemed impossible that Alice could be a threat of any sort, but this island had seemed to defy in every way what was previously thought impossible.

"Alice?" Charlie said, squeezing the girl's fragile hand in his own. She turned to face him, her expression one of a jaded angel. Charlie's heart ached for her. _Poor little thing. I'll help you, I promise._

"I'm going to come back to you later, maybe tomorrow. Do you have a place to sleep?" he asked concernedly. Alice nodded.

"Yes. I've been here a while, so I made myself a little shelter. I'll be alright," she said bravely, as if consoling _him_.

"Are you sure?" Charlie questioned.

"I'll be okay, Charlie. But... do come back. Please," she pleaded, courage failing only slightly. Charlie smiled warmly, let go of her hand, and stood up.

"Of course," Charlie comforted her. He turned and sprinted away through the darkening jungle, in the direction he hoped to follow to the caves. He could only pray that he was taking the correct trail as the night settled in around him and the moon above glowed.

_**Chapter Four: To Tell A Secret**_

Sylvie: Mwahaaaa! Tis fluffy and yet at the same time DRAMATIC! Yayness to the max! Please review if you wish to eat a clementine! -winks and tosses a chocolate bunny at you-


	4. To Tell A Secret

1**Author's Note: Helllooooo... this chapter is awfully fluffy, so keep your eyes open and watch out for bits 'o' fluff floating in the air around you. Psychadelic! **

**Disclaimer: I am sorry to say that I don't own LOST or any of the characters. I wish I owned a few of the boys, though. Growl. Especially Charlie.**

_**Chapter Four: To Tell A Secret**_

"Where the hell is Charlie!?" Jack yelled in frustration. Kate put a hand comfortingly on his shoulder, but Jack did not seem comforted. They had worked all day, and returned to the caves to find them empty. No Charlie in sight. They had formed search teams: Shannon, Sayid, and Hurley at the beach; Locke, Boone, and Michael in the jungle; Kate, Sun, and Walt at the caves. Jack, as always, alternated between the beach and the caves, checking on both teams. (Sawyer was nowhere to be found, either, but as this wasn't at all unusual no one seemed to mind.) Sun had tried vainly to coax Jin into helping them search, but he wouldn't give in. So he spent the day doing whatever island-stranded Koreans do all day.

"We'll find him. He can't have gone far, because he seemed really weak this morning. Sort of, sick, almost," Kate added slowly, remembering the morning talk she'd had with Charlie. That was the last time anyone had seen him. Sadly, she hung her head so Jack wouldn't see the tears welling up. _Not Charlie, too._ Too many people were disappearing. Too many bodies were found hacked and mangled. All of this was too much for Kate, and apparently, she noted, glancing at Jack's wan, worried expression, it was too much for Jack, too.

Then Walt approached the two, Vincent gamboling along at his side. Kate was startled out of her gloomy reverie when she felt a little hand grasp her own. She looked down at Walt. There were tears on his ruddy face. Removing her hand from Jack's shoulder, she knelt in front of Walt. Kate used her free hand, the one Walt wasn't holding, to wipe a tear from his cheek. _Too much for Walt._

"Are we gonna find Charlie, Kate? Did the Thing take him, too?" he asked quietly, between sniffles. He seemed dreadfully embarrassed to be seen crying, and was trying his hardest to stop the tears. Vincent, his tail still wagging, licked the remaining tears from Walt's face, forcing the boy to giggle a little. Kate smiled slightly._ How nice it would be to be Vincent! He didn't even seem to notice that things were going all wrong. Ignorance really is bliss._

There was a silence while Kate pondered how she ought to reply. She didn't want to disappoint Walt. The poor kid was already overly stressed-out. "We'll just have to keep searching. Are you tired, though? It's getting dark, so you should probably go to sleep. Michael would want you to," Kate changed the subject briskly. Walt shrugged.

"Nah, I'm not tired yet. I could stay up all night," he boasted. His bravado was somewhat lessened by the fact that he yawned widely in the middle of it. Kate smiled kindly and stood them both up. Jack had left again, probably down to the beach. They all needed sleep, not just Walt.

"Okay, Walt. Time for bed. You can help us search in the morning," Kate promised him as he climbed into his pallet of assorted blankets. She was all ready to run down to the beach, when she heard Walt's voice again.

"I know I'm gettin' a little old for it, but... I can't sleep. Kate?" he whispered in the near-total darkness. Kate turned and walked over to sit beside Walt's 'bed'. He rolled over to look at her.

"Could you sing to me, please? It'll help me sleep, I swear," Walt pleaded. Kate was taken aback by this proposition. She could sing, yes, but what would she sing to Walt? What kind of lullaby would he like?

"Okay," Kate acquiesced. At first she just hummed, and then the melody turned to words.

_Each time on my leaving home_

_I run back to my mother's arms,_

_one last hold and then it's over._

_Watching me, you know I cry,_

_you wave a kiss to say goodbye,_

_Feel the sky fall down upon me!_

_All I am, _

_a child with promises_

_All I have_

_are miles full of promises of home._

_If only I could stay with you,_

_my train moves on, you're gone from view,_

_Now I must wait until its over._

_All I am,_

_a child with promises_

_All I have_

_are miles full of promises of home._

_Days will pass, your words to me,_

_it seems so long, eternity,_

_but I must wait until it's over._

Kate finished the song and realized that Walt had fallen asleep, and was snoring lightly. She also realized that she was crying. Affected by her own song. _Either I'm a really great singer, or I'm just really sensitive right now. _She opted more for the second one.

"That was beautiful, Kate."

Kate looked up so abruptly she gave herself whiplash. Her eyes widened and she stood up. She ran to his side and looked him up and down. Charlie was back!

"Shh, you can't wake Walt up! He only got to sleep about half an hour ago. He can see Charlie in the morning," Kate hushed Hurley, who had been poised to wake Walt up, so the boy would get to feel relieved along with the rest of them, despite the grudge Hurley still held against Walt for beating him so many times at backgammon.

Everyone had returned from their posts by now, and were gathered in the caves, questioning Charlie about everything. Kate smiled, looking around at the group of happy people. Things were looking up. _Maybe that's why Vincent had been so cheerful. He knew things would work out._

Meanwhile, Charlie was enjoying the attention. He'd had no idea that they would be so worried about him. It felt good to be welcomed. It was a feeling he had missed so much after Claire disappeared. It was a feeling of family.

The only one who seemed remotely upset with him was Shannon. The others were just glad he was back, but Shannon was angry. "I searched all day for you! I worked my butt off trying to find you! And then you just come back at the end of the day, all fine and dandy without a scratch!" Shannon raged at him. Luckily, Walt was a sound enough sleeper not to wake up at the sound of Shannon's irate voice.

Boone stepped in. "The only reason she's upset is because she broke a nail today while she was looking around." Everyone laughed, even Shannon herself. Boone put an arm around his sister's shoulders, and for once she didn't push them off.

Charlie remembered his secret with a jolt._ I should tell them now, while they're all here. This is a perfect time. Who knows the next time we'll have everyone all in one place!_

"Hey, guys," he began loudly, to get their attention. They all looked expectantly at him. They wanted to hear what he had to say. The focus was on him.

_She was so frail. So afraid. And she needed me._

"Umm..." He faltered. _Tell. Tell. Tell! _"Do— do we have anything to eat right now? I'm starving."

They bustled about, cooking fish immediately. None of them could know. It was Charlie's secret.

_**Chapter Five: Prayers**_

**Sarah: Woohoo! I actually wrote all of this in one sitting. Now I can't feel my butt. Ow. Anyway, I hope you all like it! The song Kate sung is a song by Enya.** **It's called _Evacuee_ and can be found on her CD, _Shepherd Moons_.** **She's a wonderful artist and one of my very own personal favorites. Oh, and I'm now a convert to SayidShannon-ness! Yay! I hope I get some reviews for this chapter, as I think this one is my favorite so far.** **Peace out!**


	5. In The Air

**Author's Note: Oh my. What a terrible person I am. I've written four chappies in this fic, and now I'm going to skip ahead to the most recent episode. (I don't know the name of it –could someone tell me?— but it's the one when Hurley finds the Frenchlady.) I know the idea seems stupid, but oh well. Too many things have happened since I last updated, so I'm going to go ahead and write the very updated chapter now. Oh, and Alice isn't related to Rousseau in any way, for those of you who were a tad confused 'bout that. -**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lost or any of the characters. If I did, Hurley's CD player would still be working and he'd be playing a Queen CD. And Charlie would be singing along.**

_**Chapter Five: In The Air**_

Sun sighed. She felt so free, so open now, but not exposed. She was very nearly naked, standing in the shallow water in her little blue bikini, but it felt good. Naked was fine as long as no one was there to see. As long as Jin wasn't there.

Jin. He'd been occupying her thoughts a lot since he left her. Her heart was sore, truly enough, but she would recover. She'd known for a long time that their marriage was failing, and over that long time her anxiety had built up until she felt as though she would burst from the pressure of holding on to hope. But now that it was over, officially, she found that she was relieved.

Sun wriggled her toes deeper into the sand, hoping she wouldn't disturb some hermit crab from its burrow. The last thing she needed was for everyone on the island to hear her scream if it pinched her foot. The last thing she needed. Ha. She smiled at the irony of it. What did she need, really? Here on this island so many things she had once felt were necessities were lost to her now.

Like a good husband to take care of her. She didn't need him anymore; she was a new Sun, a reborn woman. She was capable, independent, intelligent— her stomach rumbled plaintively, interrupting her self-praise —and very hungry. She withdrew her toes from the sand and waded clumsily out of the water. Wrapping her towel around herself, she began to make her way down the beach to the camps, where she was sure to find food if she asked nicely enough. Sun was also relieved to have finally admitted that she could speak English. Some secrets are just too difficult to keep, she thought as she approached Hurley's campfire with a pleading smile on her face.

Hurley was freaked out. The Korean chick was smiling at him and he didn't know what to do. Everyone was feeling pretty uncomfortable around her lately, and Hurley was at a loss for words. For once. So he just sat there and stared expectantly. Finally she spoke.

"Do you have any food? It's been almost a day since I last ate," she said quickly. The smile was still on her face. A nervous smile, Hurley thought, or maybe an embarrassed one. She shifted her feet, waiting for a reply.

"Oh, oh yeah," Hurley stammered, dragging himself out of his reverie. Geez, he was spacey lately. Like he was on drugs or something, which he wasn't. At least, he didn't think he was. "I've got some bananas and coconuts and stuff if you want some. If you're not, like, tired of it yet. I am. I'd give my left arm for a cheeseburger."

Sun chuckled softly and sat down. Hurley smiled and handed her a banana. "Thank you. But why would you give your left arm?" she asked curiously. Usually she heard people say they'd give their right arm.

"Because I need my right arm to eat the cheeseburger with."

Sun laughed again and began to peel the banana. "Makes sense," she said.

Hurley nodded and leaned against the palm tree behind him. "So... are you and Jin all right now? I mean, I'm not trying to pry in your business or anything, but"

"It's okay. We've sort of... reached a silent agreement, you might say," she cut him off, tossing the banana peel over Hurley's head and into the bushes. Somehow Hurley guessed there was more to the story, but he didn't inquire any further for fear of being slapped. He'd seen Sun slap Michael before. That looked painful.

"Oh," he said brilliantly.

Sun nodded. "Well, thank you for the banana. I'm going to go see what the others are doing," she told him, standing up.

"Okay. Uh, see you later then," he called, watching her walk away, eating the banana. She waved back to him, smiling through her banana-stuffed mouth.

Charlie was noticing how pretty Claire looked when the sun glinted off her golden hair. He stared dumbly at her as she walked along beside him, chatting happily. They must have walked halfway around the island by now, Charlie thought, but he wasn't even remotely fatigued. However, Charlie realized with a jolt that perhaps Claire, being pregnant, might be.

"Claire, are you tired? We've been walking for a while now, haven't we?" he asked concernedly. She smiled gratefully and nodded slightly.

"Yeah, I suppose I am a little tired," she replied lightly, but she winced as Charlie helped her to sit down. Charlie sat down beside her in the sand and felt his muscles slowly contract and release their tension. Claire stretched out her legs and sighed contentedly. For some time they sat there in silence, watching the waves roll intensely to the beach and then rush back out to sea again, the seagulls diving and catching fish.

"It feels so nice out here, doesn't it?" Claire commented quietly after a while. Charlie looked at her strangely.

"What do you mean?" he asked slowly. "The beach?"

She shrugged. "Yeah. It feels wonderful."

Charlie was confused. To tell the truth, he was getting very tired of the beach. "But we've been living on the beach for weeks now. Why is this different?" His voice was very soft.

Claire smiled, her eyes still fixed on the horizon of the same shade of blue. "Out here, it's different somehow. With you." She turned her head and their eyes met. Locked.

The breeze lifted Claire's hair into the air to descend gracefully over her shoulder. All was silent, save for the rhythmic rush of the tide and the gentle swaying of the palm trees.

Then Charlie was suddenly aware of her hand, which was resting inside his own. They smiled and a blush conquered Claire's cheeks. Charlie's heart began to beat quickly, drumming madly against his rib cage. He felt butterflies in his stomach that he'd never felt before, more intense than anything he'd ever experienced before a concert. He thought he'd been in love before, many times, but never had he felt like this. Time seemed to stand still around them as Charlie leaned closer. His entire being was numb, tingling with anticipation and something else, perhaps fear. What if she turned away, left him sitting alone on the barren beach?

He had to put away that fear. Hide it on a shelf where it wouldn't keep him from doing what he felt was right. For he knew that, in _this_ moment, in _this_ place, beneath _this_ pulsing midday sun, what he was about to do _was_ right.

Claire's other smooth hand reached up to touch his sunburnt cheek. In one slow instant, Charlie kissed her. With the one motion he expressed his love, long-suppressed. He felt that his heart might break from the joy of it, and even as he released her and pulled away, he felt spasms of happiness coursing through him. For he had felt it. Her love was there, a light, innocently intoxicating presence that seemed to mingle with his own love for her in the air surrounding them.

The words didn't even need to be spoken. They hovered in the air, echoing through the trees, whispered in the constant tide of the ocean. Love.

**Author: Wow... I'm being attacked by rabid fluffbunnies. Sorry this chapter was kind of strange. And Alice-less. I promise I'll bring her and some of the others back into the story soon. This time I just wanted to give Claire and Charlie something. And of course a little bit for Hurley and Sun, because they're cool, too. Ta!**


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